Educational construction set.



JJL PR INGLE. EDUCATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SET. APPLICATION FILED JULY 13. ms,

Patented. Dec. 14, 1915,

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W w! TAM-5555. .[NVEN 2'0 with my invention; Fig. 2 a side elevation of rinrrnn eras .on nron.

JOHN L. earners, or TQRONTO, ONTARIO, cannon, Assrenon T0 Hanan E. ONEIL, HAROLD n. WALKER, AND JOHN a; cnan'rnnn, or TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA..-

EDUCATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SET.

Patented Dec. M, 11915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. PRINGLE, of

the city of Toronto, in the county of York, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Educational Construction Sets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to construction material so shaped that it may be built up into a variety of forms without the use of tools for changing or shaping such material, and my object is to devise forms of material particularly adapted to be made of wood and to be connected with the fewest and simplest possible connections. I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter described \and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which-- Figure 1 shows in side elevation bars of diflerent lengths constructed-in accordance part of a half bar; Fig. 3 an end elevation of one of the bars shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a perspective view of a post constructed in. accordance with my invention; Fig. 5 a side elevation of a post showing a couple ofbars connected therewith; Fig.v 6 a side elevation of a tapered bar; Fig. 7 a side elevation of a keyused in connecting the bars to one another or the bars to a post; Fig. 8 a side elevation of a rectangular key; Fig. 9 a perspective detail of a special key; Fig. '10 a perspective view showing.

another special key in use; Fig. 11 a perspective view showing yet another form of special key in use; Fig. 12 .a perspective. detail illustrating the method of using the bars shown in'Fig. 1; Fig. 13 a side elevation of a special connector used in forming the ridge of a root; and Fig. 14' an elevation showing two bars used as raft- V ers and connected by the piece shown in Fig. 13.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the dili-v ferent figures.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that I employ a pluralit of bars 1, preferably rectangular and o comparatively thin material. Each bar is provided in each of its edges and preferably in its ends also with noes 2. These notches are construction as shown in Fig. 10.

-width of the bar, so that when two bars are engaged where notches occur as shown in Fig. 12, each one extends half wayacross the other, so that a structure may be built up of bars showing no spaces between their adj oining edges. The half bars illustrated in Fig. 2 are used to level up the sides of the structure as shown in Fig. 12. To adapt the bars for connection together without their ends overlapping, I give the notches 2 a dovetail form above their bottoms whereby the rectangular formation is retained at the bottom to enable the bars to be satisfactorily connected as shown in Fig. 12 and at the same time permitting the use of dovetail keys such as shown in Figs. 7, 9, 10 and 11 in connecting the bars together in various combinations. 1

Each key comprises two dovetail portions 3 connected together either in alinement as shown in Fig. 8 or by a stem 4: as shown in Figs; 9 to 11 by means of which the two dovetail parts are held in diflerent positions relative'to one another to enable the bars to be connected together in. a number of different relationships. Steps, for example, may be built up by the form of key shown in Fig. 11, or a platform on a base with the In framing'up a building posts may be employed as shown in Figs. 4: and 5, in

which intersecting notches are formed in the ends of the post so that posts may be keyed together end to end, and also notches running around the post as shown to enable bars 1 to be connected thereto' as shown inFig. 5. When bars are in the position as shown in Fig. .14 to form a roof, they may be keyed together at the roof by means ofthe triangular pieces 5 such as shown in Fig. %)3. These fit into the end notches of the ars. o

In buildingup wheels or corners, tapered bars such .as shown in Fig. 6 may be employed. These bars are preferably sector shaped as shown. I

Various combinations may be built up with the parts herein described and which it *is impossible to illustrate in detail. It is I direction.

What I claim as my invention is:

lrEducational constructional material comprising a plurality of flat narrow bars of different lengths, each having a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side, each notch being of a width to receive snugly another bar placed on edge therein and the said notches in all the bars being spaced the same distance apart.

2. Educational constructional material comprising a plurality of flat narrow bars of different lengths, each having a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side, each notch being .of a width to receive snugly another car placed on edge therein,

and the said notches in allthe bars being spaced the same distance apart, and a similar notch being formed in each end of each bar.

3. Educational constructional material comprising a plurality of fiat narrow bars of different lengths, each having a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side and its ends, each notch being of a width to receive snugly another bar placed on edge therein; and a post having similar alined grooves extending around two or more ad- Jacent sides.

4. Educational constructional material comprisinga plurality of fiat narrow bars of different lengths, each having-a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side and its ends, each notch being of a width to receive snugly another fbar placed on edge therein; a post having similar ahned grooves extending around two or more adjacent sides, and similar intersecting. notches formed 1n one end.

5. Educational constructional material comprising aplurality offiat narrow bars ofdifierent lengths, each having a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side and its ends and each notch being of a width to receive snugly another bar placed on edge receive snugly another bar placed on edge therein; and a post having similar a'lined grooves extending around two or more ad'- jacent sides, each notch having its sides above the bottom out to dovetail form so as to leave the bottom of the notch rectangular. 8. Educational constructional material comprising a plurality of flat narrow bars of different lengths, each having a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side and its ends, each notch being of a width to receive snugly another bar placed on edge therein; a post having similar valined grooves extending around two or more adjacent sides, and similar intersecting notches formed in one end, each notch having its sides above the bottom cut,to dovetail form so as to leave the bottom of the notch rectangular.

9. Educational comprising a pluralityvof flat narrow bars of different lengths, each having a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side and each notch being of a width to receive constructional material snugly another bar placed on edge therein,

each notch having its sides above the bottom cut to dovetail form so as to leave the bottom of the notch rectangular in combina tion with keys formed of connected dove tail parts adapted to fit opposed notches of any two of the parts aforesaid.

10. Educational constructional material comprising a plurality of flat narrow bars of difi'erent lengths, each having a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side and each notch being out a width to receive snugly another bar placed on edge therein, each of said notches extending one-quarter way through toward the opposite side and the said notches in all the bars being spaced the same distance apart.

11. Educational constructional material comprising a plurality of flat narrow bars of different lengths, each having a plurality of notches formed in its edges at each side and each notch being of a width to receive snugly another bar placed on edge therein, each of said notches extending one-quarter way through toward the opposite side, and

a plurality of bars of half the width of the aforesaid bars, having notches along one side corresponding with and of the same depth as the notches in the bars aforesaid.

12. Educational constructional material comprising a plurality of bars of (lifter-cut length each having a plurality of dovetail notches formed therein in difierent edges in combination With keys formed of connected dovetail parts adapted to fit opposed notches of any two of the parts aforesaid, lips being formed on said keys to position them in the notches and to prevent disengagement except by movement in one direction.

Signed at Toronto this 2nd day of July, A. D. 1915, in the presence of the two 1111- dersigned witnesses.

JQHN L. PRINGLE. Witnesses:

J. EDW. MAYBEE,

E. P. HALL. 

